Dakeyan C. Graham

Accomplished Practice # 2: Communication

Illustration # 2

Source of Illustration

MUE 3330

Professor

Dr. Russell L. Robinson

Semester

Spring 2006

Type of Assignment

This communication example stems from a portion of a lesson plan developed and used in teaching a sixth grade music class at Lincoln Middle School. The students attending the class were engaged in a musical lesson evaluating rhythm, key signature knowledge, and symbol identification. The job of the teachers was to communicate their ideas and purposes to the students in an effort to make them more competent in identifying musical symbols and rhythms and playing their instruments.

Description of Assignment

A lesson was taught at Lincoln Middle School in an effort to become more acquainted with teaching an actual class, as opposed to teaching ones peers and having them act as though they were in middle school; real life representative on-the-job training. The students of MUE 3330 are required to create a lesson plan in which they are given examples of previous lesson plans but have the freedom to choose what subject matter and content they wish to cover in their lessons, as long as it adheres to the direction the music teacher wishes to go. The students then prepare visual aids and whatever other materials they need to be able to engage the class and teach as if they were the teachers in the class. This lesson plan demonstrates Accomplished Practice #2 in the following ways:

• uses correct grammar in speaking and writing

• Communicates purpose and value of music instruction to students, parents, and other interested persons

• Communicates to students in behavioral terms followed by concepts as they are learned

Artistic Processes/Medium

This would be a responding example in that there was response necessary to determine if this aspect of teaching was successful. Communication works both ways, in that the students are communicating back to the teachers what they communicated to them. If the students are able to give a clear demonstration of what the teacher asked, then it is evident that the teacher was successful in communicating their ideas. In this communication example, both the students and the teacher were engaged in discussion, listening, and evaluation activities throughout the course of the class. For example, once the students played through the long tone warm-up exercise, a discussion was held on the characteristics of a good sound and playing smoothly and connecting notes in a legato manner. This discussion did not simply cover the prior knowledge that the students knew about legato playing, but also incorporated newer more advanced aspects dealing with legato tonguing and how it is different from normal or staccato tonguing. They were also questioned about their prior knowledge of musical symbols.

Rationale

This entire lesson plan is built on communication; the ability to convey the teacher from the physical construction of the lesson plan on paper to the students in the classroom. This lesson demonstrates Accomplished Practice #2 in that all forms of conveyance require understandable communication. The students would not be able to complete the tasks assigned to them if they were unable to understand what they were being asked to do.

Illustration

At the beginning of each activity the teacher gave clear and concise instructions for the students to follow. Each activity ran smoothly and the students not only learned the planned material but also enjoyed themselves during the process. There were few disciplinary issues because early on in the class the behavioral expectations of the class were clearly notated. To see the exact layout of the communication ideas and how they fit into the lesson plan, see Lesson Plan.
 

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